Don't Waste Your Money on Boutique Stretching Sessions, Please

You know that you should warm-up and cool down properly to make the most of your workouts—but for some exercise fanatics, stretching has become an activity in and of itself. Assisted stretching is now a bonafide fitness trend.

Thanks to the influx of boutique studios, classes, and race participation over the past several years, weekend warriors and fitness junkies alike are now flocking to studios like Stretch Zone andStretchlab for classes and one-on-one stretching sessions designed to help them recover from their intense workouts.

Should You Pay To Stretch?

That depends. If you're a healthy gym-goer, probably not. But they could give your fitness regimen an extra layer if you're willing to pay and value flexibility.

Proponents of stretching-only classes claim they provide a deeper, more beneficial stretch than traditionalflexibility classes, like yoga.

“When you take yoga, the part of your body that’s supporting you is in contraction, so you can’t really release in the same way,” stretch trainer John McQueen recently told the New York Post. “Assisted stretching allows the rest of the body to be completely relaxed as [the] trainer guides the client’s muscles to places they couldn’t reach alone.”

Detractors, on the other hand, argue that shelling out$30-plus for a specialty stretching class or one-on-one session is completely unnecessary. After all, if you’re already paying for a personal trainer, proper stretching and warm-ups should be part of the package.

If your body needs some extra TLC, there are other, less trendy ways to get it — namely, physical therapy and chiropractic services, or even massage therapy.

“There’s nothing unique about passive stretching,” Arlen Zwickler, general manager of the Athletic and Swim Club at Equitable Center in Manhattan told the New York Times last year. “Trainers who are well schooled can do it. A massage therapist can do it.”

You’re better off going to a physical therapist if you have pain, says our expert.

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Rondel King, MS, exercise physiologist at NYU Langone’s Sports Performance Center, is also cautious about the benefits of the assisted stretching trend.

He told Menshealth.com not everyone is necessarily in need of assisted stretching, because some flexible people can actually be damaged by stretches that might benefit others. "It depends on assessment [by a physical therapist] as well, and length tension relationships [within each person's physiology]."

He also questions the long-term benefits, especially if people only sporadically get stretched. Only visiting the classes a few times might not address the underlying causes of pain and stiffness.

"I think there's a place for stretching, however you do have to identify which areas need stretching," King said. "That's where an assessment would come in."

Experts still can’t seem to agree whether or not stretching offers any tangible benefits for exercise performance and recovery. One study in Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found that static stretching actually reduced lower-body strength in a small number of moderately-trained men, while anothersmall study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise concluded stretching had no effect on subjects’ athletic performance. Anotherstudy in Journal of Athletic Training reveals stretching may reduce muscle soreness, yet has no significant effect on lowering risk of injury.

So, do you still want to try the stretch trend? Go for it—just remember there's no guarantee that it'll actually accelerate your performance.

If you're already active and healthy, you're probably better off saving your money. Just remember: If you're in pain while you're exercising, stop what you're doing and talk to your doctor. Stretching classes aren't necessarily bad for you, but they should never be used to replace more targeted physical therapy sessions and rehab.

Stretching On Your Own

Even if you're dead set against buying into the latest trend, you should still always make sure to stretch on your own. Check out this routine you can perform at the gym or even at home in front of the TV:

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